What Is Yours Of Choice Of Window Managers ?

[the empty calorie 0]

We all go through various decisions being GNU/Linux users...one of the biggest ones we must each make, is what Window Manager to use. Some people go the way of a Desktop Environment, such as GNOME or KDE. Well, those are not Window Managers, they are desktop environments. They contain a Window Manager of some form, but come on, when it comes to monitor real estate, (and resource usage) less is more. For the daring (not really that daring) people who are happy with just a Window manager, what do you use?To me, that window manager is WindowMaker. It's just so much cleaner..second, would be AmiWM, and as strange as it may sound, I do have a soft spot for TWM. I tried many, but I will use no other than these two.

Edited January 8, 2006 by miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG (see edit history)

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

I choose desktop environments and KDE is my choice.xboxrulz

[the empty calorie 0]

>shakes head<I was not asking about Desktop Environments. I was asking about Window Managers. Please read the post with care before response.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

well, in that case, kwin.xboxrulz

[yordan 10]

I like KDE on Linux systems, and CDE on other Unix systems.And, of course, standard X11 in failsafe mode is useful un case of trouble.

[qwijibow 0]

And, of course, standard X11 in failsafe mode is useful un case of trouble.

probably means TWM.
for the hard core *nix hackers

In the oldern days, for gaming i used to squease everything out of my ssytem by running the games as window managers.

its quite funny, an usually works quite nicely.

shutdown all x cliebnts and servers.

echo "ut2003" > ./.xinitrc
startx

sets unreal tournament as the window manager application.

its not a window manager of-cource.

but it them means that the game is the only X client running.

for when every frame per second , and every kb memory is crucial

[yordan 10]

probably means TWM. for the hard core *nix hackers

nope, I use mwm, which came fare before twm, and some "standard unix" users use it, not only hackers.
the difference I mean between standard unix and hackers, is in the deepness of their Unix kernel knowledge. standard unix only need to know how to use it.

[iGuest 3]

A happy fluxbox user here! :)A really nice lightweight window manager but with really handy features..the tabbed windows for example is a useful feature which is well implemented..the menu system is easy to figure out, and then quickly modify with a text editor.Definetly worth putting on slower or older computers.

[the empty calorie 0]

Lately, I've been playing around with OLVWM and FVWM...Although I do love TWM I just recently got an old Compaq Armada with a P166-MMX and 64M RAM. The thing actually flys pretty good as a Debian system, and it's funny seeing people get confused because it's using TWM.

[abhiram 0]

Hmm... does Fluxbox count as a window manager? Coz, that's what I use. I've also used a bit of ratpoison, it's a little inconvenient but nice all the same. I still don't understand the difference between a desktop environment and window manager. Could anyone make a listing of what comes under window manager and desktop environment? What about XFCE?

[yordan 10]

mwm and twm are windows environments. The are in charge of opening windows (for instance if you type "xclock &", mwm is in charge of showing the x-windows clock on your display.KDE, CDE and Gnome are windows dektop environment. They draw a desktop and give you icons where to ckick in order to fire actions. I feel windows environments absolutely necessary, because most of modern sofware (like Oracle Installations) work with graphics.I think desk top environments are necessary only for people who don't know Unix commands, an prefer clicking in the users icon instead of type "drakconf" or "smit mksysb" or the equivalent command in order to start administrative tasks.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

desktop environments aren't necessary for people who don't know UNIX command. I've been typing UNIX commands for 2 years now? I still like desktop environment. Why? The look and feel and having most of everything at my fingertip. The only time I use the CLI is really to show off @ school and if I want things done quickly without the GUI slowing me down.xboxrulz

[McGuy 0]

It depends kinda, in a wierd way. I don't mind either KDE or Gnome, yet i'd say I like KDE abit more. In the short time i've messed with Linux i've found it incredibly useful to be able to hide the menu and the way its like Windows. Yet Gnome is special in its own ways, like its small and slick. I'd go for KDE Overall.

[abhiram 0]

Alrighty then ... anything that doesn't have icons on the desktop or any of the 'Microsoft Windows' kind of feel to it is a Windows Environment. That means, we can list it as:

 

Desktop Environments:

KDE

GNOME

CDE

XFCE

 

Window Managers:

Fluxbox

Blackbox

WindowMaker

Enlightenment

Ratpoison

FVWM

TWM

MWM

OLVWM

 

That's all I can think of right now. Anyone care to add something to this list? I'm not too sure about the '-WM's .

 

//edit: Changed the name to "Window Managers" and moved XFCE to Desktop Environments. I guess that's right since XFCE does have it's own desktop app called xfdesktop.

Edited February 23, 2006 by abhiram (see edit history)

[Jeigh1405241495 0]

Looks like a pretty good list abhiram. Personally I use Gnome on my main box normally with flux on my older server setup. Both gnome and KDE have their plusses and minuses but personally I've been preferring gnome as of late. KDE just feels too flashy to me or something. You can get amazingly cool looking desktops on gnome without it being over the top or anything. I know you can limit the ffects and everything in kde, but I just find gnome a little smoother going. Regardless, both are awesome and worth checking out for anyone new. Really all the window managers are too, no sense in not trying them once.